
Psychiatric problems are just as likely to affect children and adolescents as adults. However, some conditions are more common in young people, and they may experience different symptoms. If you’re worried about your child, visit Elena Gherman, MD, at Full Moon Behavioral in San Antonio, Texas. She provides expert diagnosis and treatment to children from age 5. To find out how your family can benefit from child psychiatry, call Full Moon Behavioral or book an in-person or telemedicine appointment online today.
request an appointmentWhat is child psychiatry?
Child psychiatry focuses on children’s psychological and emotional well-being. Parents often find it hard to hear that their child has a mental health problem, but these issues aren’t necessarily a reflection of your parenting skills.
The important thing is to pick up on any warning signs so your child can benefit from Dr. Gherman’s expertise in child psychiatry.
What signs indicate a child requires psychiatric treatment?
If your child is struggling with a mental health problem, you might notice signs such as:
- Worsening grades at school
- Extreme irritability and frequent anger
- Radical personality changes
- Rapid or severe mood swings
- Weight and appetite changes
- Intense sadness persisting for over two weeks
- Avoiding friends and social gatherings
- Difficulties sleeping
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Self-harm
- Self-destructive behavior
Adolescents often develop behavioral and emotional issues during puberty, but that doesn’t always mean they have a mental health disorder.
What conditions require child psychiatry?
Dr. Gherman treats a broad spectrum of children’s psychiatric disorders, including:
- Depression and other mood disorders
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Social anxiety disorder
- Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia nervosa
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can cause problems for older children.
In addition to disorders like these, child psychiatry also covers behavioral and developmental problems, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorders, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
These conditions often cause challenging behaviors that some adults don’t realize are due to a treatable disorder.
What treatments does child psychiatry use?
Child psychiatry treatments Dr. Gherman uses include:
Medication
Medication might be necessary to manage your child’s symptoms. Stimulants, for instance, can be helpful for children with ADHD. Prescribing pediatric psychiatric medicines requires specific expertise in child psychiatry to avoid any adverse effects, so it’s essential to get specialist care from Dr. Gherman.
Talking therapies
Psychotherapy enables children to explore their feelings and thoughts and deal with the issues causing or worsening their mental health problems. Behavioral therapies can help children learn coping skills and ways to modify their behaviors to avoid stress and conflict.
Get expert psychiatry care for your child with Full Moon Behavioral. Call the office or book an appointment online today.